The Great Debate: ‘No-Call’ It?

[Brad]

The Great Debate: ‘No-Call’ It?

Read Officiating.com's latest "Great Debate" and post your comments here...

[Kelvin green]

First, I am not compelled to make a call just because there was contact and two went to the floor. But for some strange quirk of fate.... Who has the primary call? and where was the ball going to or away from? If you have to stretch too far then you lose credability. The danger with the no call is that you will have to keep your eyes closely on the two involved so there is no retalliation, but the no call is the best, I cant advocate making it up. If it's close, a travel call might work but other than that theyre both at fault.

[BktBallRef]

I know officials who will always call this on the offense. But, for me, it's a no call if I didn't see the whole play. Hopefully, I won't put myself in that position.

[Tom Cook]

I think that if you really don't have a clue you have to No-Call it. You can say to a coach, "I'm sorry, I didn't see the whole play." This will gain you more respect that trying to make something up.

[williebfree]

It is a terrible feeling, you witness a play and your mind is NOT sorting it out the same way your eyes "saw" it.

If you do not have a whistle (and enough information in your brain to make a call) instantaneously, or damn near that quick, you gotta let it go.

This reminds me of the thread several days ago where the posting official "heard a slap." You CAN NOT make the call.

I have a simple motto:

See it, call it, or leave it.


IF I have the game play situation (GPS) like the one that started this thread, I am going to work that much harder to "witness" and process it the next time, so I can make the call.

This is unfortunately a "No Call."

[Doug]

you're the expert on no calls, right willie

[Larks]

Originally posted by williebfree
IF I have the game play situation (GPS) like the one that started this thread, I am going to work that much harder to "witness" and process it the next time, so I can make the call.

This is unfortunately a "No Call."

Unfortunately, the other 2 "Bench" Refs or worse, the other 50 - 5000 "stands" refs saw something and they want the whistle. Being a Rook, No calls where I know something happened but just didnt see it makes me feel bad. The speed of the game can overtake your ability to process what is going on both near and off ball. The flip side...I feel like I have to see the advantage gained before I can pop the whistle. Kids (especially the grade school variety) can do the unexpected, creating at times violent, incidental contact. And that is what I have found to be one of many eye opening things regarding what its going to take to be successful.

Its the time when Johnny's dad is in the front row yelling for "tripping" after Johnny simply loses his footing while running near a defender off ball and all you see is Johnny flying thru the air followed by a 18 foot slide accross the floor...you see that...you know Johnny drug his nose on the tile floor for ten feet but you have NO idea how. Almost all of us No call there and we would be right but what if Johnny was assited in his effort by the defender to slide as far as possible on his schnoz accross the floor? We're all still a No Call. The eye opener for me is the crowd reaction and keeping my cool by realizing that I have 2 eyes and they have 691 and a half.

Any comments on cooling a crowd or should I keep it to puking on the front row's shoes?

We'll review "Wisdom from the stands, "tripping" and staring at Johnny's dad's pants later.

Tripping....which page is that on again? Yes Mr. Expert, Johnny tripped....over his own left foot.

Larks

[eroe39]

Brad, I have not seen you in about three years since Coast to Coast. Good to hear your still out there! I have always been taught that when a collision occurs you have to have a whistle. The players and coaches cannot stand when there is a no call on a collision. They immediately begin to lose respect for the officials. If this play happened in my primary and I had no look I would wait for my partners to hopefully chime in and save me. If this did not happen I would simply come in late with a guess. Yes, a guess. I hate to say that but that's what I would do. I would probably guess charge.

[Jim Dixon]

I can appreciate the points of view so far. Now let me throw another wrinkle into it.

What if you work in a conference where the philosophy is more one sided?

That is, what if the supervisor says "Benefit of the doubt goes to the defense. Call a player control foul.",

or

"Benefit of the doubt goes to the offense. Call a block."

There is this philosophy out there, and until there is strong enough justification for one or the other, there will probably continue to be inconsistency.

Thus, can anyone obliterate the aforementioned positions that favor the no-call, and instead, replace it with VERY strong justification for either the block or charge?

Put another way, based on the existing Case Book plays (NFHS) and Approved Rulings (NCAA), do you think that there is already some basis for placing the greater burden on the player in ball control?

I personally subscribe to the latter, but would like to see if others have similar beliefs?

[daves]

No call for me. I'm not going to guess. Hopefully my partner can help me out.

[Peter Devana]

If i don't see the complete play I"no call"it and take the heat which I deserve for being out of position.
Pistol

[Tim Roden]

If you don't see t he play, you didn't see the play. You can't make a call based on what you thought you saw. I say a no call. Then tell the coach that it was the R's call.

[Tom Cook]

I have to agree with the majority, although it's unlikely that a lead would have absoutely no idea of what happened. If your supervisor tells you that the defense should get the benefit of the doubt and you're 90% sure that you saw a charge, call it that way. You'd be right 9 times out of 10. In the no-call situation you're probably going to be wrong 9 of 10.

[Mark Dexter]

In basketball, crashes that we see and truly have no foul on occur all the time. (The phantom hesalloverim foul.) Unless I see the entire play, I'm not calling something where I don't know who the offender is.

Now, as to the "benefit of the doubt" policy. I would apply something like that to a crash that you see; know that someone fouled, but can't tell who.

[Dan_ref]

Didn't get a good look so no call.

BTW, if I didn't get a good look how do we know B3 didn't
flop afterall?